Six killed and hundreds injured in Bahrain

March 16, 2011

Government security forces and Saudi Arabian troops have killed at least six protesters and injured around a thousand others in Bahrain.

Protesters have expressed their objection to any foreign intervention within Bahrain. One protester said that security forces "fired tear gas and then opened fire. ... We lifted our arms and started saying ‘Peaceful, peaceful.’ Then we had to run away."

Live ammunition was fired by soldiers both on the ground and in helicopters, who attacked people in at least five villages. According to a medical source speaking to, buckshot was used against some of the victims. People have put up barricades in the capital of in order to obstruct the path of troops.

In addition to protests elsewhere, several thousand demonstrators marched to the Saudi embassy, following the military intervention of Saudi Arabia. Chants of "[d]own, down with !" were made in response to Bahrain's ruler's actions against protesters.